For Play
by Anisky
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry. (f/f) Finished!
1. Chapter 1

Title: For Play  
  
Author: Anisky and Merry the Marvelous  
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  


Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky) and Lifeinanutsheii@aol.com (Merry the Marvelous)

WARNING: This will soon be a romance between two girls.  If you have a problem with that, press the back button.  You have been warned; any flames received because of that situation will be sad proof that there is still bigotry.  Oh well.  Otherwise, enjoy!  
  
  
  


Chapter 1

  
  
Ginny peaked out from behind the door, watching as Harry held Cho's hand, both of them sharing a butterbeer. Harry put his arm around Cho and they smiled at each other. Cho said something and Harry laughed heartily. They looked so happy together.  
  
Ginny felt like crying as she watched Harry murmur something, leaning towards Cho.  He pressed his lips against Cho's, and tightened his arms around her.  Cho pulled back and wiped off her lips with a sort of tentative smile, saying something else as Harry's face fell slightly.   
  
'What's wrong with me? Why can't he like me?' she wondered as she snuck closer to them. She could vaguely hear what they were saying, and strained to catch their words.   
  
"People always think that quidditch is my life," Cho was saying. "But really, I like to act. I'd like to put on a play at Hogwarts, or something like that."  
  
Harry was nodding, with 'clunk, clunk, clunk' heard from his foot tapping against the table leg he leaned towards Cho, causing the table to slightly upset itself.  Cho's butterbeer spilled slightly, and she pulled away from him to clean it up, with a look that oddly enough seemed rather… relieved… to Ginny. "Yeah, well, I agree about the quidditch, but I don't have time to do anything like acting," Harry replied.   
  
"Too busy saying the world?" Cho smiled at Harry again as he blushed. She finished wiping up the spill and walked over to the trashcan to throw out the paper towels.   
  
Ginny was fascinated. She liked to act too, but was too shy to want to be in a play. Maybe she could ask Cho for some tips. She certainly know how to move well, Ginny noted as she watched Cho's graceful glide across the room.  'Wow, she's even graceful when she's throwing away messes.  No wonder Harry is going out with her.  I wish **I** was like Cho!'   
  
Ginny was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice getting up to follow Cho out—and to leave the Three Broomsticks, they were heading straight towards her!   
  
She squealed and scrambled out of her hiding place—and tripped, sprawling on the ground right in front of Harry and Cho.  
  
"Erm, um," Ginny was redder than her hair as she stood up and brushed the dirt off her robes. "Hello."   
  
"Hi, who are you?" Cho blinked innocently, tucking some of her long, silky black hair behind her ear.  
  
"Um, yeah, hi, I'm Ginny," the girl stuttered. "I just tripped... I'm... sorry." She lifted her eyes and looked into Cho's deep brown ones, and suddenly a smile crept onto her face. She was actually starting to feel comfortable.      
  
"Oh, that's OK Ginny... um..."   
  
"Weasley. Ginny Weasley." Ginny reached out to shake Cho's hand.  
  
"She's Ron's little sister," Harry explained.    
  
Ginny pulled her hand back and looked at the floor as Cho continued. "I didn't see you anywhere..."   
  
"OH, well, I was here!" Ginny laughed, nervously, trying to keep the tone light, the moment of comfort broken. "Um, yeah."  
  
Harry gave Ginny a pitying look. "Well, we'll see you around," he said.   
  
"Nice to meet you Ginny!" smiled Cho.  
  
"Likewise, Cho," Ginny returned the smile.   
  
*****  
  
Ginny sat in the common room, studying.  She rubbed her eyes.  '_How does Hermione do this all the time?' _Studying was one of those things that Ginny does not like. She eventually gave up, throwing her books onto the floor and walking up to the dorm room.  
  
"Hey, Ginny," Sadie waved.  "What's up?"  
  
"Not much.  Just studying for the Charms test."  Ginny turned around to peal off her robes and slip on her pajamas, a soft flannel nightgown.   
  
"Were you in Hogsmede today?" asked Sadie, who was brushing her long, auburn hair.  
  
"I was," said Ginny shortly, magicking her robes into the laundry basket..  
  
"Stalking Harry again, huh?" Sadie honestly didn't mean to upset Ginny… it just slipped out.   
  
"Shut up!!" Ginny turned to glare at Sadie.  "None of your business."  
  
"Ginny, I wasn't trying to be mean!"   
  
"Well, you're doing a good job of hiding that fact!" Ginny grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste, stalking into the bathroom.    
  
Sadie sighed.    
  
When Ginny got back, Sadie was already asleep.  Ginny got into her bed and just laid there, thinking of Harry.  The last image she saw before she finally slipped into a quiet sleep was Cho's beautiful face…  
  
*****  
  
Ginny walked into the Great Hall and searched for a place to sit.  Cho was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry yet again, and Ginny slipped into a seat next to her.  It was the closest she could get to sitting next to Harry.   
  
"Hi, Ginny," Cho turned and smiled.

"Hey, Cho, how are you?" Ginny couldn't believe it; someone had actually noticed her.  Even **Ron** never noticed her!  
  
"I'm good… hey, I'm trying to put together a school play here, are you interested?"  
  
"She's asking everyone that," laughed Harry.  "Can't seem to get enough people!"   
  
Cho hit him.  "Come on, I haven't asked many people yet.  So, Gin, are you interested?" Cho turned back to Ginny, an intent look on her face.   
  
Ginny didn't get a chance to answer. "Oh, she's too shy to want to do a play," laughed Ron.  "No way."  
  
"Yeah," Harry added, "you're asking the wrong person."  
  
Cho turned again to glare at her boyfriend and his best friend. "Excuse me, but can you let her speak for herself? GINNY," she continued, turning back to the shy, red-haired girl, "are you interested?"  
  
"Well, I **am** too shy," replied Ginny uncertainly.  Cho was actually making her feel rather comfortable. Strange, it was like the opposite of the way Harry made her feel: frazzled, nervous. "But I really like to act.  Maybe I could be a techie?" Ginny smiled hesitantly at Cho, who laughed.    
  
"Aww, come on, if you like to act you should!" Cho tucked her black hair behind one year and winked at Ginny.  "I can help you get over your shyness, if you want."  
  
"Ginny, since when do you like to act?" Ron rolled his eyes.  "She's just saying that."   
  
"I've known you a while," added Harry, "and you've never mentioned you like acting."  
  
"My lord, you guys really do just ignore her and talk for her, don't you!" Cho stood up and glared for a long time at Harry and Ron.  "Neither of you seem to know that much about her, anyway!"  
  
Cho's defiance gave Ginny more courage, and she took a breath to speak up.  "What did you think I DID all that time I spent in the West End over summer break?"   
  
Cho turned to Ginny, excited.  "You acted on the **WEST END**?"  
  
"No, of course not, but I saw tons of plays."  
  
"So did I!" Cho grinned.  "Did you see 'Anything Goes'?"   
  
"Yeah! Wasn't Sally Ann Triplett wonderful in it??" Ginny grinned, suddenly in her element as Cho sat down.  "I wish I got to see her as Rizzo in Grease!"  
  
"Yeah, and how about 125th—"  
  
"Ginny, how do you know all that stuff?"  Ron was staring at his sister, bug-eyed.  Cho and Ginny both looked at him, then rolled their eyes.   
  
"Hey, how about we get together to work on some acting techniques and ideas for the play?" grinned Cho. "If I can't get you to act—which I won't give up on, mind you!!—then I can still get you to be manager or something."   
  
"That'd be great!" Ginny sat up and took a bite of her toast.  "Are you sure you have the time?"  
  
"Definitely!" Cho enthused.  "Tomorrow after class?"   
  
Harry gulped, nervous to interrupt his girlfriend again after her last two reactions.  "Um, Cho, hun, weren't we going to go out then?"  
  
Cho waved a hand, dismissing him.  Ginny was amazed at the way she could just wave him off.  How did she do that?  "We'll reschedule.  OK, Ginny?"   
  
"Sure, Cho!" Ginny took another bite of her toast and stood up.  "I have to go to class now, though."   
  
"Me too," said Cho, staking up and grabbing her books.  "Bye guys!" she barely glanced at the rest of them at the table as she and Ginny walked off.    
  
"Um…" Harry looked back and forth between Cho and his friends.  "What just happened?"  
  
Ron shrugged.  "Girls," he said.  "They're crazy."    
  
Hermione didn't yell at him.  She just bit her lip, looking thoughtful.  

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Title: For Play  
  
Author: Anisky and Merry the Marvelous  
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  
Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky) and Lifeinanutsheii@aol.com (Merry the Marvelous)

WARNING: This will soon be a romance between two girls. If you have a problem with that, press the back button. You have been warned; any flames received because of that situation will be sad proof that there is still bigotry. Oh well. Otherwise, enjoy!

  
  


"What play were you thinking of putting on?" Ginny was sitting on Cho's bed, one foot tucked under her.  By her hip was Cho's head; the older girl was lying on her back, playing with her hair as she spoke.  
  
"Oh, I don't know," mused Cho.  "I was hoping you'd have some ideas?"  
  
"Hmm," Ginny started playing with Cho's hair too.  "Footloose would be fun."  
  
"Not unless we can get a dance teacher and a choreographer here at Hogwarts."  Cho shook her head. "Sorry."  
  
"The Scarlet Pimpernel?" suggested Ginny.  
  
"Wouldn't that be too bloody?"  
  
"Nah, if we do it right then it's really funny!" Ginny grinned.  "Pimpie! Oh Pimpernel! Where aaaaare you?" She fell over laughing, and Cho just stared at her, looking confused.  "What, haven't you seen it?"  
  
"No.  Sorry."  
  
"Darn, well, it's not playing now, but we can still do the play.  I'll try and get a hold of the script.  It has a small cast, too, so we don't need too many recruits."   
  
"Well," Cho the hair out of her face that got messed up with Ginny's laughing fit, "if you think it's good…"  
  
"It's PERFECT!" Ginny cut in.  
  
Cho smiled.  "Well, I trust your taste then."  
  
Ginny squealed and hugged Cho. "Wonderful! I'll try to find charms for GREAT special effects!" Ginny started to get up, but Cho grabbed her hand.  "No… stay.  Please."  
  
Ginny sat but looked at Cho with a curious look.    
  
"We have more to talk about," Cho hastily explained.  "Like… what should we do for a stage?"   
  
"We should ask Dumbledore that one," Ginny said thoughtfully, and unknowingly started stroking Cho's hand.  "There's probably some unknown room in the castle or something."  
  
Cho nodded, making no indication that she noticed that Ginny was stroking her hand.  "Yeah, you're right.  I'll talk to him sometime soon."  
  
"How were you planning on advertising? Because you could get him to announce auditions, too."  
  
"Good idea." Cho's hand tightened around Ginny's, who suddenly realized what she'd been doing.  
  
"I'm… I'm, I'm really… sorry," Ginny gasped out, turning an exceptional shade of red.  She pulled her hand back and stood up.  "I'm really sorry, I'll go now."   
  
"C'mon, Ginny, don't!" Cho sat up as Ginny turned back.   
  
"You mean… you're not angry?"   
  
Cho smiled and shook her head.  "Not at all.  Don't sweat it.  Really."   
  
Ginny hesitantly sat back down. There was an awkward pause for a moment. "Is it possible to transfigure something into scripts?" She asked, for lack of anything else to say.   
  
"No… I've tried it.  Since it has words, it would only work if you had the whole play memorized."  Cho shrugged.  "We'll have to find some other way to get them.  Maybe we can raise the money to buy the rights to perform it?"  
  
  
Well according to Muggles our school doesn't exist," Ginny cocked her head to the side, "and The Scarlet Pimpernel is a Muggle play, so technically we don't need to buy rights… right?" Ginny trailed off uncertainly.  "But then how would we get the script," she countered herself.  
  
Cho laid back down, stretching on the bd.  "I don't know.  Enough technical talk for today, OK? Let's just hang out."   
  
'Cho Chang wants to hand out with ME?' Ginny couldn't believe it, Cho was so popular and Ginny wasn't.  She just sat there, and once again there was a slightly awkward silence. "Um, OK.  If you want…" Ginny paused.  "I'm curious… why did you blow off Harry for—well, why did you blow off Harry?"  
  
"For you, you mean?" Cho shook her head and propped herself up on an elbow.  "You really like Harry a lot, don't you?"  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"WHY? He takes you for granted, knows nothing about you yet thinks he can speak for you, condescends you…!" Cho was standing up by now.  "Now listen to me.  You are too good for him.  You're smart and nice and interesting and beautiful, and he's just a bastard to you!"  
  
Ginny looked down and shifted in her place.  She wasn't used to compliments, and was sure that they were given for some other reason than that they were true—which Ginny didn't think they were.  "Does this mean you're mad at me for liking your boyfriend?"   
  
"Ginny! Have you listened to nothing I just said? It's him I'm mad at, not you!" Cho ran a hand through her hair in frustration.  
  
"If you think so lowly of him that you think I'm too good for him, then why are you dating him?"  
  
That seemed to stun Cho, and she just stood there for a minute. "You know… I don't know.  I thought he seemed nice—and he is.  I don't know," she repeated.  "It's confusing." She just looked at Ginny.  After a pause: "And I don't have to think very lowly of someone at all to say that you're too good for them."  
  
"Thanks," whispered Ginny quietly.  "You haven't known me very long, though, to think so highly of me."  
  
"With some people, Gin, you can just tell."   
  
********  
  
When Ginny got back to the Gryffindor Tower that night she was tired but happy.  Tomorrow was a Saturday, so she didn't have to do homework, and she'd probably get to hang out with Cho again. The girl was so _nice_.   
  
"Fruit Basket," sang Ginny, and the portrait swung open.  Ginny stepped through, surveying the room with a smile on her face.  As she settled down in a couch she pulled out one of her favorite books, a well-worn little novel simply titled "Magical."   
  
She looked up when Ron sat down next to her, his trademark 'nervous' look on his face.  "What do you want, Ron?" she asked pleasantly.  
  
"Look, Ginny," Ron started uncomfortably.  "I know you like Harry and all, but making his girlfriend ignore him is not the way to go."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes.  "Oh, come on.  Cho isn't ignoring Harry—she cancelled a date for one night.  And anyway, Harry has nothing to do with my time spent with Cho."  
  
"Oh really." Ron didn't sound like he believed her.   
  
"Yes.  Really." Ginny looked Ron right in the eyes.  "Cho and I have a common interest that we really like talking about.  Plus, she… she realizes that I'm actually a real person, and not Ron's little sister who has to be spoken for and ignored and in some cases, feared. I mean, god forbid she and I might actually like each other!"  Ginny paused, about to add that it upset her that Ron thought everything she did was all about Harry, but Ron broke in before she could continue.   
  
"Ginny, what's gotten into you?!" Ginny realized that he'd been staring open-mouthed during her speech.    
  
The opportunity was just too perfect. "Some self-respect," Ginny answered.  She stood up.  "If I can't have any peace to red my book down here, I'll go up to the dormitory." Ginny walked off quietly.   
  
Rob blinked and walked back to Harry and Hermione.   "Cor!" he said. "what's Cho been saying to her?"  
  
Harry, who had heard the conversation, was similarly stunned.  "I'll ask her tomorrow."  
  
**************  
  
Breakfast found Cho once again at the Gryffindor table.  As Harry walked sleepily into the Great hall, he noticed that his girlfriend as at his table—once again with Ginny.  
  
"Come on," Ginny was saying.  "Maybe he'll let us.  We're both in Muggle Studies, so it's educational.  It fits in even more if we do the play."  
  
"Well, I can ask," Cho said doubtfully.  "I mean, I want to as much as you do, Gin, but—oh, hey Harry.  What's up?" she was interrupted by Harry's sitting down next to her.    
  
"Well, do you want to hang out or something today?" Harry asked uncertainly.  "Since we didn't go out yesterday." His eyes flickered briefly towards Ginny.    
  
"Well, Gin and I were going to ask Dumbledore about the play after breakfast.  Maybe after that, I'm not sure."  Cho shrugged and reached across Harry to grab some pancakes with strawberries.  She took two pancakes and spooned the strawberries onto her plate.  "It depends on stuff."  
  
"Stuff? Like what?" Harry asked, half-curious and half-worried as he took a treacle tart.    
  
"I want us to go and volunteer usher at a matinee today," Ginny put in.  "We just need permission."   
  
"I don't think we'll get it, Gin," Cho answered.  "So please don't get your hopes up, OK?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Alright then.  You ready to go? I'm done." She'd eaten about half of her toast and had a few sips of Orange Juice.   
  
Cho nodded, polishing off the last pancake.  "Sure."  
  
"Wait!" Harry looked hurt that he'd been dropped out of the conversation. "Isn't Dumbledore still at breakfast?" He gestured to the staff table.   
  
"We're planning exactly what we should say," explained Cho.  "Come on, Ginny." With that, both of them walked off together, away from Harry… just like they had yesterday.    
  
Harry just looked baffled.    


	3. Chapter 3

Title: For Play  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  
  


Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky) 

  
  
  
"Alright, girls," Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and gestured for Ginny and Cho to take a seat.  "What did you want to see me about?"  
  
"Well," started Cho, "I was wondering if we could put on a school play this year.  Ginny and I would organize it and all."  
  
"Well first off, of course you can.  I'd advise asking a teacher to supervise, and we'd have to approve your choice of plays, of course."  
  
"The Scarlet Pimpernel," Ginny's quiet voice informed him. "It's a Muggle play."  
  
"Ah, yes, indeed.  I know the one you mean." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.  
  
"You DO?" Ginny's eyes got wide in surprise.  
  
"Good choice, I should add," he nodded.  "Do you know wher to obtain a script?"  
  
"We're still working on that," Cho informed him.  
  
"I'm sure I could find one for you," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again.  
  
"Really?" asked Ginny.  A rare wide smile graced her face.  "Oh, thank you!!"  
  
"Yes—two more things," Cho put in at this point. "Could you announce auditions, and are there any good rooms to perform in?" Cho ticked off her two questions on her fingers, looking as academic, studious, and completely serious as the Ravenclaw she was.  Of course, once she'd asked her two questions, her pointer and middle finger were up and facing Dumbledore.  Cho's eyes got wide as she realized, and she quickly put her fingers down, blushing.   
  
Dumbledore acted as if she'd done nothing.  "I will announce them tomorrow at dinner," said Dumbledore, "Is that enough time to prepare?" He stood up, and hurriedly so did Ginny and a still-embarrassed Cho.  
  
"Yes, yes I think so," said Cho.  "But—"  
  
"As for a stage, I think I know a good place… but we'll have to search.  Come on, then!"   
  
  
****  
  
  
"Alright, everyone," Professor McGonagall clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.  "Please, if you are here for the audition, please come up here and fill out this form."  
  
"Come on, Ginny," Cho was pleading.  "If we're organizing it, one of us should audition.  Ginny, you're GOOD.  Very good.  The teachers will be fair about your part.  Please?"  
  
"Cho, I"d feel too silly and embarrassed." Ginny sighed.  "Just… no."  
  
"Please?" Cho persisted.  She took Ginny's hand.  "For me?"  
  
"That's not fair!" Ginny exclaimed with a smile.  "How could I refuse that?"  
  
"Exactly!" Cho grinned.  "So you will? Perfect!" She grabbed an application and handed it to Ginny.   
  
"Why can't YOU do this again?" wondered Ginny aloud… rather pointedly.  
  
"Because I'm directing the play," Cho informed her primly.  
  
"And why can't **I** do that?" Ginny pouted.  
  
"The play was my idea.  Sorry, hun.  Finders keepers!" With that, Cho gave Ginny a cheeky smile and pranced off to explain to Lavender and Parvati how to fill out the application.   
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
At Breakfast a few days later, Dumbledore stood up at the staff table.  "All of you who have parts in the play will be getting your notices.  I'd like all of you to meet in the same room as auditions were in today at 5 o'clock.  That is all." He sat back down. A few moments later the owls came swooping down, and sure enough, an envelope labeled "Miss Ginny Weasley" was dropped into said girl's lap.   
  
"Well??" Cho tried to look over Ginny's shoulder when she got the owl.  "Did you get a part? Silly question, of course you did.  Which one? Come on, open it!"  
  
Ginny looked up at Cho.  "You're the director, don't you already know?"  
  
Cho looked pouty.  "The teachers wouldn't tell me, either.  Don't know why, but that's the way it is.  So? You're killing me here Gin! Who are you?"  
  
"Cho, doesn't being in Ravenclaw often mean, oh, I don't know, sitting at the Ravenclaw table?" Ginny grinned at Cho, winking to take any sting out of what she said.  "Shoo." Turning away so Cho couldn't see it, Ginny opened the letter.  Her face fell.  
  
"What??" Cho was indignant.  "They didn't give you a part? You were amazing! I swear, it was—"  
  
Ginny was grinning now.  "Cho!" She showed her friend the letter with a grin.  
  
Cho took it and, seeing the name, gave a whoop.  "Marguerite?! Ginny, you got Marguerite!  Hey, everyone!" she jumped onto the Gryffindor table.  "Come see the female lead for Hogwarts's very own school play! Right here!"   
  
Ginny, in the meantime, was trying to slip under the table and hide from everyone looking at her.  "Cho!" she hissed.  "Stop it!"   
  
Cho looked down at Ginny.  "Oops," she said, hopping down to the floor.  "Sorry." Everyone was still staring, and Ginny was now under the table completely.  "Oh, come on Gin.  It's not like they won't all be staring at you when it's time for the play."  
  
"Don't remind me!" Ginny's voice, muffled and miffed, came from under the table.    
  
"Ginny, you can come out now," Ron said impatiently.  "It's becoming difficult not to kick you."  
  
There was a squeal from under the table.  "You did that on purpose!" Ginny fumed as she crawled out and took a seat on the bench again, trying to duck under everyone's eyes.    
  
Ron just shrugged, but froze when he caught Cho's glare.  "Sorry," he reluctantly told Ginny.    
  
"You really can't hide during the play, Ginny," Cho looked sympathetic.    
  
"I know, I know. Well, look at the time, I'd better get to class," said Ginny hurriedly, getting up from the table.    
  
"Ginny, we have twenty minutes until the first class," Harry told her with a puzzled look.  
  
"Yes, well, um, yeah, I'm having trouble in Charms so I need to practice, see you later!" She gathered her stuff and got out of there as quickly as she could.  
  
"Poor Ginny," Cho shook her head sadly.  "She's really going to have to get over that shyness."  
  
"Cho," Harry looked nervous, "I was wondering if we could hang out or something? You and I never see each other anymore… I'd like to do stuff again."  
  
"Oh Harry, what are you talking about? We're seeing each other now!! And anyway I'll be planning costumes for the play and directing it and helping the actors and all.  But I'll make time sometime!" Cho smiled sweetly and planted a kiss on his cheek.   
  
  
**** One Month Later ****  
  
  
"It IS your fault, you know."  Cho was sitting on her bed, making notes on the script about stage directions as Weird Sisters tunes came from her magical CD player.  
  
Ginny looked up from her own script, startled.  "What?" She asked, voice lowered and her expression one of hurt.   
  
Cho rolled her eyes.  "Oh, you know what I mean.  You hate people thinking of you as just 'Ron's little sister', it's what you're going on about."  
  
Ginny nodded, looking confused.  "Yeah…"  
  
"Well, come on, if anyone brings attention to you, you **hide** under the **table**.  Hide under the table for crying out loud!  You never say anything, and I can't think of a single person beyond me and maybe Ron who you actually act like yourself around!"  
  
"So?" asked Ginny defensive, dropping her script and crossing her arms angrily.   
  
"SO, you can't expect people to think of you as Ginny, a person, if you don't let them SEE Ginny, a person." Cho sat up and looked over at Ginny. "And Gin, you know I love you, but I'm getting fed up with you complaining about the fact that people treat you like the person you act like around them!"   
  
Ginny looked even more hurt, her forehead creased and her lip trembling.  "I'm sorry…"  
  
Cho softened, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed and sitting next to Ginny. "Don't be _sorry_.  Anyway, people have started to think less of you as Ron's sister and more of you as Marguerite."   
  
"Yeah," Ginny shook her head and stood up, "but that's no more Ginny than the other version." She paced, biting her lip and twirling her fire-coloured hair.  "I know it's my fault.  I can't _help_ it, though."  
  
Cho shrugged and got back onto her bed, looking back at the notes for the script. "If you say so."  
  
Ginny bit her lip and glanced at Cho.  "Don't be mad at me… please."  
  
Cho looked up and smiled. "Oh, Ginny, I'm not angry.  I just want you to be happier.  Come, sit here," she patted the bed next to her.  Ginny reluctantly went over and sat next to her.  "Now come on.  Let's run some lines, OK?  You are going to be an _amazing_ Marguerite!"   
  
Ginny nodded, feeling better.  Unfortunately, she was also all too aware of her leg pressed against Cho's.  She was about to get up and sit somewhere else, but stopped.  Cho was her friend.  It was OK to like being around her… right? _ It doesn't mean anything.  Just that she makes me feel comfortable.  Yeah.  Comfortable.  _


	4. Chapter 4

Title: For Play (4/?)  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  
  


Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky) 

  
  
"Alright, does anybody have any idea how to raise money for the costumes?" Cho tapped her quill against the paper as she looked around.  "I'll front some of the money, to be repaid with ticket sales, but I don't think that will be enough."  
  
Dennis raised his hand, trembling.  "W…well, in Muggle schools, students ask companies for money in exchange for an advertisement in the program that everybody sees."   
  
"Ooh!" exclaimed Ginny. "Maybe Madam Malkins or Gladrags will donate some costumes in exchange for big ads!"  
  
Parvati raised her hand, and Cho nodded to her.  "Advance ticket sales could help, too.  We could create the tickets _now_, and start to sell them."  
  
"We could try fundraisers, like find a company that sells us stuff cheap and we sell it for more," Hannah Abbot volunteered.  
  
Cho was busily scribbling these ideas down on paper.  "Okay, everybody, great ideas here.  I'm going to break you into committees to actually make them _happen_."  
  
"Hey," said Parvati, "Wait a second, you're the manager/director, or whatever, aren't _you_ supposed to do these things?"   
  
Cho sighed. "Parvati, I have only so much time.  It will be more likely to get done if everyone works at it.  You _do _want costumes for the play, don't you?" She raised her eyebrows at Parvati and leaned back, tapping her quill against the table again. When the girl didn't answer, Cho went back to business. "Alright, who suggested selling ads?"  
  
Dennis raised his hand again.  "Me."  
  
"Alright, Dennis, you head up that committee.  Ginny, you'll be in charge of finding out if any clothing stores will donate clothing in any amount.  Parvati, you mentioned advance ticket sales, right? Your committee will put together tickets; show them to me before you sell them though.  Who said fundraisers?" Cho was busily writing as she said all this and glanced up now to see who had suggested that option.  
  
"Alright, then, Hannah," Cho continued, "You'll be in charge of that.  Selling ads and getting together a fundraiser are the more difficult jobs, so more people should be in them.  Alright… Natalie, Owen Cauldwell, and Eleanor, go with Parvati.  Stewart, Mandy Brockehurst, and Terry Boot, help out Ginny.  Everybody else, I'm splitting you right down the center." She drew a line with her finger.  "Everyone to the right of that line, you're in the ads committee.  Everyone on the left, fundraiser.  Okay everyone; let's get to work. There's more to plays than memorizing lines, you know."   
  
Everyone got into the groups, and Ginny smiled at everyone as they sat in the circle.  "Alright, first I think we need to get permission to go to the stores.  You know, off Hogwarts campus.  I'll ask Dumbledore."   
  
"I'll go with," suggested Terry.   
  
"That's good," agreed Ginny.  "The two leads should carry more responsibility in this sort of thing." She looked towards Mandy and Stewart.  "How about you guys?"  
  
"Well, we could make a list of clothing makers," Mandy played with the hem of her robe as she spoke.  "Smaller, less known stores would be more likely to want publicity, and also might be cheaper."  
  
"Ok, I'll go get a quill and piece of paper from Cho.  Be right back, everyone.  While I'm gone, try and discuss what other clothing manufacturers there are."  Ginny stood, brushing the dust from her robe_.  We really need to get this room cleaned up a bit_, she thought to herself, surveying the room.  Maybe once they got volunteers for stage crew, those things would go better.      
  
"Hey, Cho, can I borrow a quill and paper?" she asked.    
  
"Hmm? Oh, sure, Gin, here you go," she said, passing the requested items to her friend.    
  
"Thanks."  Ginny turned to walk away.  
  
"Hey, Gin!" said Cho.  The younger turned around.  "Do you want to get together and run lines or something tomorrow?"  
  
Ginny blinked, following Mandy's example and fidgeting with her robe.  "Um, Cho, don't you have a date with Harry tomorrow? What about that?"  
  
Cho looked sheepish.  "Yeah, um, that."  
  
"Cho, why do you keep canceling his dates? _You_ don't share a common room with him, but _I_ do, and it's become unbearable.  He's always sitting there wondering what's wrong with him and why you're ignoring him and half the time he's blaming me because you're always with me, and the other half he's pumping me with 'You're her friend, what's wrong with her?'"  Ginny took a deep breath.  "Why do you keep ignoring him?"  
  
Cho looked down and shrugged.  "I like being with you more."  
  
Ginny stood there, speechless for a moment.  She cleared her throat, trying to figure out what to say.  "Oh… nobody's said that to me before."    
  
Cho opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted.  
  
"Ginny!" Terry was calling.  "What's taking so long? Come on back!"    
  
"Be there in a second!" Ginny called back.  She turned to Cho.  "Hun, go out with Harry tomorrow, or he'll probably kill me.  I'm running lines with Terry anyway. OK?"  
  
Cho nodded.  "Sorry."  She turned back to her paper, and resumed scribbling stuff down, and Ginny rejoined her group.   
  
  
***  
  
  
"You know," Ginny pouted, "these things really are _so_ uncomfortable.  I don't know how you stand it."  
  
Ginny was sitting on the back of Cho's broomstick, her arms wrapper around the older girl's waist.  Ginny couldn't afford a broom and they didn't have enough time to try and bully one of the ancient school brooms into working, so both of them were sitting atop.    
  
"I mean, they dig into your butt, and you can't shift because if you do, well, you may have this little inconvenience of plunging into a rather painful death after a few terrifying seconds of falling." Ginny peered down at the ground, which was rather far away.  "Not that I'm complaining or anything."   
  
"Nope, not at all," agreed Cho with a laugh.  "Don't worry, we're almost to Farah's Formalwear."    
  
"_Good_," said Ginny.  Both of them were quiet for a few minutes, until Ginny spoke up again. "Cho?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I've been wondering something." Ginny cleared her throat and looked off across the sky.  She didn't say anything for several minutes while Cho waited.  Then: "Why do you like being around me more than Harry?"   
  
Cho didn't answer for a moment.  She sighed.  "Because you are a wonderful, interesting person who I love to be around and…" She trailed off.  
  
"And, what?" persisted Ginny, tightening her arms around Cho's waist.    
  
"And I haven't told _anybody_ else this before… Harry is a nice boy, and he's very brave.  I don't know why I feel this way, but… I often dread being around him. And I even more dread him kissing me."  The last part came out quickly, as if Cho wanted to get it out of the way.    
  
"You dread being around… Harry?" It was a rhetorical question, and one that gave Ginny a lot to think about.  She started off marveling at how anybody could not like being around Harry, and thinking about how much she'd like to go out with Harry.  After a while, though, she realized that for the past month, she really hadn't been interested in Harry much at all.  She hadn't followed him at all in the past 3 weeks.  In fact, she rarely thought about him.  It was something new to think about; maybe she was _finally _getting over her crush on Harry Potter!  
  
Cho finally broke the silence.  "There it is, Farah's Formalwear." She swooped the broom down, causing Ginny to shriek and hug the older girl tighter.  Cho smiled, not sure why.    
  
As they landed and dismounted the broom, Ginny turned to look at Cho.  "If you dread being around him, why do you still go out with him?"  
  
Cho just looked at Ginny for a long while.  She had a strange look on her face, almost as if she were weighing something in her mind.  Eventually, she just said, "I don't know, Ginny." She briskly walked towards the town, Rowenaston, a mostly-wizarding town with only a few Muggles, with charms on them not to see the stores, living on the outskirts.  
  
Ginny ran to catch up, trying with her smaller legs to keep up with the quick pace the athletic Cho set.  They walked into town, and quickly saw one of the clothing stores they were searching for.  Cho pushed open the door, and heard the gentle tinkling of bells as she walked into the musty-smelling store.  "Hello?" she called.  
  
A kindly-looking elderly woman came out from a back room. "Hello, dears, can I help you? I'm Farah Jenice."  
  
Cho glanced behind her to make sure that Ginny was still there.  "Yes, my friend and I are organizing a school play, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and we were wondering if you would either donate some costumes in exchange for an advertisement in the program, or would like to buy space on the program for an advertisement."    
  
"A school play, you say?" she asked, looking back and forth between Cho and Ginny.  "Hogwarts, ah, I remember going there.  You two are putting it on yourselves?"  
  
"Well there are other actors and actresses of course," said Cho, "But it was my idea and Ginny here helped a lot." She gestured to the girl behind her.  
  
"Ginny, eh?" the women peered over her spectacles to look closer at the younger girl.  "Weasley, are you?"  
  
"Er… yes, yes I am," she said pleasantly.    
  
"I know your father, wonderful man, and you seem like such a nice girl," said the woman with a smile.  "How many costumes do you have to make, dear?"   
  
"Well, Ms. Jenice, a few of them have appropriate costumes already, and many costumes could be re-used for several minor characters with small changes to make it clear who is who." Cho resumed her position as spokeswoman.  "Altogether, we need about 5 dresses and the same amount of appropriate men's attire."    
  
"Ohh, how about this dears.  I'll supply all of those costumes, and you give me a full-page ad and let me come and see your show!" Farah smiled and whipped out a quill.  "When is it? And where?"  
  
Cho smiled excitedly towards Ginny, who returned the look with enthusiasm.  This was better than either of them had hoped! "Hogwarts, they'll direct you to the room, it'll be March 7th, the 8th too."   
  
The woman smiled. "Alright, dearies, I'll have your costumes ready in about two weeks.  Tell your father that Farah is sending thoughts his way, Ginny dear!"    
  
"Goodbye!" said Ginny.  "And thank you very much."  
  
"My pleasure, dear," Farah said.  "My pleasure."   
  
Cho smiled at Ginny as they walked out into the street.  "It's a good thing I have you here!" Cho joked as they checked the street for Muggles and, assured there were none, mounted the broom.  
  
"Yeah, I guess that's my use huh? To make store owners more willing to do stuff." Ginny grinned and punched Cho in the back.  "Nice to know I'm loved."  
  
"You are, Gin," whispered Cho.  "You're loved more than you know."  
  
"Hmm? What was that?" asked Ginny, straining to hear her friend.  "I didn't catch it."  
  
"Oh, nothing," said the older girl, as the broom lifted from the ground and the two of them were soaring over the forest again.  "Just thinking out loud, is all."   
  
  
  
  
A/N: Thanks to all of my reviewers!! Next chapter will hopefully contain some Ginny/Cho, I'm hoping.  In the meantime, tell me what you think!! __


	5. Chapter 5

Title: For Play (5/?)  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  
  


Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky) 

  
  
"Ok everyone," called Cho, "Ginny and I managed to get seven women's costumes and six men's, five of each coming from Farah's Formalwear and the rest coming from Witchy Wares.  How did everybody else do?"  
  
There was a general murmuring.  "How'd you do that?!" asked Parvati.  "That's as many as we need, really!"  
  
"Yeah!" cried out Hannah.  "Why did the rest of us do anything anyway?" She pouted.   
  
"Come on, come on." Cho stood up and gestured for everybody to be quiet.  "Yes, that was our goal, but this way more extras can be in each of the scenes and transitions will be easier," said Cho.  "We really need as many as we can get.  How did the rest of you do?"  
  
Everybody eagerly told Cho what they'd accomplished.  After calculation, they discovered that they could have eight womens' and mens' costumes and still have extra money left over to go to scenery and props.    
  
"This is great!"  Cho exclaimed.  "Hannah, Owen, and Jessica, please help me with the programs.  Everybody else, Ginny will instruct on how to buy props and put the scenery on stage. It'll be a cinch from here, everybody.  The play is in a week, so we'd better hurry! It'll be play time before we know it!" With that, almost everyone swarmed poor Ginny finding out how to put together a set.   
  
***  
  
  
Five minutes.    
  
  
"Spirit Circle everyone!" called Cho.  Everyone got in a circle and clasped hands.  "I expect you to beat 5 seconds!" she told everyone.  
  
  
Four minutes.    
  
  
"Ok, everyone, get in a line, facing the door.  Put your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you," Cho called out.  "Close your eyes and massage the back of the person in front of you."  
  
  
Three minutes.   
  
  
"Everybody, stop massaging and lie down on the floor and just breathe."   
  
  
Two minutes.   
  
  
"Alright, everyone, on stage now now now! Good luck!"   
  
  
One minute.    
  
  
Ginny breathed deeply, walking out backstage, her palms unbelievably sweaty.  Her stage makeup was caked on her face, so nobody could see how pale she was.  She tried to stop her rapid breathing and calm down a bit, desperately wishing she hadn't gotten this part, and desperately glad that she wasn't going to have to sing, like was originally the case.    
  
The curtains opened, and Ginny drew in her breath for the last time and pretended that it was just another rehearsal, and that most of the school and many others were watching her right now.    
  
"It is true," she said loudly.  "Sir Percy and I are engaged to be wed."  She put her arm around Terry and gave her sweetest smile.    
  
Ginny remembered to look properly horrified when she was sentenced to death by Stewart… erm, Chauvelin, and actually had great fun with the elaborate get-away scene they'd planned out.    
  
Ginny flushed as she heard the applause when the first scene was ended.    
  
"You were great!" Terry whispered to Ginny.  "Doing OK?" At Ginny's nod, they went back out to begin the second scene, and Ginny found that as long as she ignored the audience she could be quite at home on stage.    
  
Before Ginny could even believe it, the final scene was upon them.  She put her hand to her mouth and gasped, eyes wide, as she found out that the Scarlet Pimpernel was none other than her husband, and watched with worried anxiety as she watched Chauvelin and her husband fight.     
  
The scene was over, and the curtains closed.  Ginny scrambled to the wings as the curtain opened again, and all of the extras walked out and took their bows, then the smaller characters, various smaller leads, and finally Ginny walked in from one side and met Terry in the middle of the stage, grasping his hand and bowing, then taking her own individual bow after Terry did.  At Ginny's gesture, Cho walked on stage, and the cast clapped for her.    
  
Terry gestured, and the three tech witches came out on stage: Hermione, Padma Patil, and Blaise Zabini.  Everyone was still applauding as the curtains came down for the final time.  "Every member of the cast!" Cho yelled as everyone swarmed to the exit.  "I expect you tomorrow at 10 AM to strike the set!"  
  
There were murmurs of "Alright."  As everyone scrambled back stage, Ginny felt someone slip something into her hand.  She turned quickly and saw Cho right next to her, mouthing, "Read it."  Ginny nodded and followed everybody out into the corridor outside the stage.    
  
Audience members were already out there.  "Ginny!" The girl heard her mother calling.  Ginny turned and saw the red-haired woman run over to her and hug her.  "You were amazing!" She presented her daughter with a bouquet of flowers, which Ginny took and sniffed, smiling at their lovely scent.     
  
"Thanks," Ginny blushed, though through her heavy makeup you couldn't tell.    
  
"Ginny!" called Ron, with Harry close behind him.  "I had no idea you were that bloody good!"  
  
"Ron!" exclaimed Molly Weasley angrily.  "Don't you swear like that!  Is that always the way you speak when I'm not around!" She turned back to Ginny and smiled.  "You really were very good," she told her daughter.  She kissed her daughter's forehead.  "I have to get home now, but you have fun with your parties, alright? You've earned it!"  Ginny was enveloped in a hug one more time, then her mother disappeared into the crowd.   
  
"You were very good, Ginny," Harry told her.    
  
"Just throw chocolate," she told him, putting her nose in the air and looking arrogant.  Then she suddenly turned back into her normal Ginny self and grinned at him.  
  
"Wow, you really_ are _a bloody good actress," Ron repeated.  "So, yeah, um, here."  He gave her a box of Honeydukes chocolate.    
  
"Ron! Thank you!" she squealed, hugging her brother.  "I'll be back in a minute, ok?"  
  
"Well, we're having a party in the common room because of the party, and of course you have to go," Harry told her.  "Other members of the cast are welcome to come too, of course…" he trailed off.  "So ask them, ok? Especially Cho," he finally got out.   
  
Ginny shook her head and laughed.  "Alright, Harry," she said.    
  
Slipping into a corner where nobody could see her, Ginny opened up her hand, which had been clenched for all that time, and opened up Cho's note.  It read: "_Meet me a 11 o'clock right outside of the Prefect's bathrooms.  I have something I need to give you.  –Cho."_  
  
Ginny smiled and walked back into the crowd, finding her bag and slipping the note into it.  She was quickly surrounded by a crowd of congratulators, and the shy girl cringed as she obligingly signed all of the programs that were shoved into her face.  She admittedly did crack a smile at all of the _"I couldn't believe that was you, you were so different! It was  _so _amazing!"_s that she got.    
  
When the crowd finally died down, Ginny checked her watch.  It was only 10 o'clock so she picked up her bag and made her way to the Gryffindor Common Room where she knew a party mostly in her honor was being held.    
  
"Ginny!" Colin called.  "Come on over! I need to take your picture with Terry!"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes but made her way over to Colin, mostly because he was right next to the food.  Ginny picked up a chip and dipped it in onion stuff, taking a bite and putting her arm around Terry.  Colin looked delighted as he took their picture, murmuring, "The two stars of the show!"  
  
Terry laughed and looked down at Ginny, smiling and brushing hair from her face.  Colin snapped another picture.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Ginny, pulling away.  
  
"Just playing the part," Terry told her.  "You know, make us look like the married couple, for the camera." He gestured to Colin.    
  
"Oh… Ok," said Ginny.  "I'm going to go talk to everyone else.  For the first time I think they actually may want me to be around," she gave Colin a meaningful Look then went off to wander around the party, smiling and thanking various people as they gave her congratulations.  She kept looking at her watch, waiting for 10:45 to roll around so that she could leave and go see Cho.    
  
Harry came over to her.  "Cho couldn't make it, then?"  
  
Ginny shook her head.  "No, sorry, I didn't get to ask her."  
  
"You didn't?" Harry looked hurt.  "Why not?"  
  
"By the time I could get out of the crowd, she was gone," Ginny told him.  "Sorry, I did try."    
  
Harry nodded sadly.  "Alright, then."    
  
Ginny edged away from the older boy.  "Yeah, well, Harry, I gotta go now, I… promised Cho that I'd meet her somewhere, we have something to talk about."  
  
Harry seemed to perk up.  "I'm going with you, then."  
  
Ginny started, worried.  "No… Cho said to come alone.  It's something private.  Sorry, I'll tell her you want her to come back to the party though, OK?"  Before Harry could press the issue Ginny was across the room and going through the portrait.    
  
Her boots made a slight tapping against the stone floor, and she ran swiftly around the corner and down the stairs.  She prefects' bathroom was right ahead, and she broke into a smile when she could see that Cho was already waiting there.   
  
"Cho!" she whispered.  "Hey, I'm here."  
  
"Hi Ginny," Cho whispered back.  "Come on." She beckoned, and Ginny followed Cho down a narrow corridor and into a small room.  Cho ushered Ginny into the room, turned on the light, and closed the door.  
  
"Why all the secrecy?" asked Ginny, looking down and wiping off a dusty chair before sitting on it.  
  
"Oh… no reason," said Cho.  "Just that it's after-hours and while we have permission to go to the common rooms to party, we can't go anywhere but straight back to our own towers."     
  
Ginny nodded, looking around the small room.  She studied Cho and noticed that the girl seemed really nervous.  That was strange, Cho was almost never nervous.  "So, um," said Ginny, "why are we here?"  
  
"Oh, yeah," Cho reached into a pocket in her robe and pulled out a small box.  "Here, I, well," Cho shoved it into her friend's hands, "wanted to give you this, you know, as a sort of, well, congratulations present I guess."  
  
OK, that sealed it.  Cho wasn't just nervous; she was downright panicked!  Ginny looked down at the tiny box, wondering what could be in it that would make her graceful, composed friend so flustered.  She toyed with asking Cho if anything was wrong, but she knew already what the answer would be, so she snapped the box opened.   
  
Inside was a beautiful necklace, a thin silver chain holding a Celtic knot with a beautiful emerald in the middle.  Ginny lifted it up, her eyes wide and staring at it in wonder.  "Wow… Cho, this is… this is amazing.  You shouldn't have spent this much on me."  
  
"It's nothing…" said Cho.  "You deserve it.  Here, can I put it on you?"  
  
At Ginny's nod, Cho went around behind Ginny and took the necklace, clasping it at the back of Ginny's neck and taking her friend's shoulders, spinning the younger girl around so she could look.    
  
"Wow… you look really beautiful with that on," Cho breathed.    
  
Ginny smiled.  "Thank you, Cho," she said quietly.  She looked down and picked up the charm to examine it.  On the back, she saw something engraved and leaned in to read it.   "_Love forever, Ginny  ~Cho_"  
  
"Ginny," Cho whispered.  "I…"  
  
"Yes Cho?" asked Ginny, looking up from the necklace at the almond-eyed girl before her.    
  
"I…" the older girl whispered, and then leaned in to kiss Ginny on the lips.    
  
Ginny was startled for a moment, but it felt so nice, warm and tender and so perfect… She began to respond.    
  
_What is going on?! _Ginny's eyes went wide and she pushed Cho away.  "What… what…" she stuttered, her face white as she looked wide-eyed at the girl who had just kissed her.   
  
"I'm sorry Ginny, I didn't mean to!" cried Cho, but it was too late.  Ginny was backing up and was soon running away at a sprint, wildly winding her way through the school corridors.  She heard Cho's footsteps behind her and her calling that she was sorry, could they please talk, but Ginny just sped up.  Finally, panting, she was at the painting.  "Sir Percy, Sir Percy," she hurriedly let out.  The painting had chosen the name in honor of the school play.    
  
"Come on in, dear," the painting swung open and Ginny ran inside.    
  
Everybody was bewildered when the heroine of the day, main character in the play, came running across her common room, wailing and gasping for air as she made her way up the stairwell to the fifth year dormitory.  She ran across the room and flung herself onto her bed.    
  
What was going on?  She had no idea how she was supposed to feel.  Cho's kiss had felt so, so good… but that was wrong, wasn't it?? She wasn't supposed to like it, she wasn't supposed to feel like that was she should have felt when she kissed a guy, like Terry on stage or Neville or Colin, but didn't.    
  
"Ginny?" Hermione was in the doorway.  "What's going on?  Your brother wanted me to come up here to check and see if you're alright."  
  
"Go away, Hermione," Ginny sobbed, turning face down and burying her head in the pillow.  "Just go away."  
  
"Did Cho say something to you?" asked Hermione.  "If—"  
  
"Please Hermione," Ginny's quiet voice was pleading, "Just leave me alone."    
  
Ginny closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep, not caring whether or not her bushy-haired house mate was still in the room.    
  
Hermione just stared at Ginny for a while, nodding slowly.  She turned and left the dorm, heading downstairs to convince Harry and Ron that she had no idea what was going on.  


	6. Chapter 6

Title: For Play (6/?)  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.

  
Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky)

  
   
  
Ginny didn't want to wake up. In her dreams she had been plagued by the same questions and worries she'd have to face today, but at least she didn't have to live the problems of her dreams. She didn't have to sit near them awkwardly during breakfast.   
  
"Come on!" Sadie exclaimed. "Up! Rise and shine! This is supposed to be your day, Ginny darling, so act like it!"   
  
Ginny groaned, and rolled out of bed, knowing that she officially had No Choice. People were waiting to congratulate her, and she knew that a bunch of people were planning to throw her a party tonight, and Sadie would not let her stay in bed. Plus, she didn't need anyone to suspect anything, especially not after the way she ran through the Common Room crying last night.   
  
So Ginny pulled on a nice pair of robes, spent some time on her makeup, and plastered a smile on her face.   
  
"Now that's the Ginny I like to see!" Sadie teased her friend. "You really were great, you know."  
  
"Thanks," murmured Ginny, charming her eyelashes thicker.   
  
"But really, everybody was wondering: why did you run upstairs like that last night? You know: crying like that?" Sadie looked over at her friend cautiously, gauging her reaction.   
  
"Oh, you know," explained Ginny lightly, "all that stress. It was difficult keeping up with schoolwork and being in the play and helping organize it. Sometimes that stuff hits you the hardest after it's over, you know?"  
  
There was a reason Ginny won the lead in the play, and it wasn't because of her admittedly adorable face. Sadie was nodding, understanding dawning on her face. "Hey, that really makes sense."   
  
Ginny lifted her head a little higher, glad that at least the question of her excuse was out of the way. "Alright then, I'm ready. Let's go down to breakfast."  
  
Ginny and Sadie made their way down the stairs, coming out at the common room where Lavender and Parvati were talking.   
  
"Lavvati!" Ginny grinned and waved at her two friends. The name was a joke among some of the girls of Gryffindor, because the two were always together. "How are you guys doing? We were just going to breakfast."  
  
"We're on our way there, too," said Lavender.  
  
Ginny laughed. "That's why you're lounging on the chairs talking?"  
  
"Yep," nodded Parvati solemnly. "Oh, Ginny, I don't know how you did it, but you were even better than in rehearsals!"  
  
"Shh!" said Ginny, looking over at Sadie jokingly. "Don't let them know that I'm not really that good!"  
  
Sadie blinked, looking from her friend to the other two. Somehow she'd failed to realize how much her dormitory mate had changed. This Ginny was confident, happy, and funny, everything that Sadie seemed to remember the old Ginny having difficulty with.   
  
Ginny, as you may well guess, was not happy, but she could sure act it.   
  
Colin and Dennis came down the steps. "Marguerite!" called Dennis. "Morning!"  
  
"Morning, Dennis."  
  
"What are you guys doing?" asked Colin, looking at the four girls.  
  
Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender all exclaimed, "Going to breakfast!" and the latter two fell over laughing while the former gave the largest grin that she could.  
  
"Oh, no," said Colin dramatically, dropping his head into his hands. "Now it's Gavvati, I suppose?"   
  
"Sounds like some old Italian painter," said Lavender, and Parvati grinned.  
  
"Maybe we should go to breakfast now," suggested Ginny. "After all, I was dragged out of bed so that people could congratulate me down there." She threw an evil eye at Sadie as she said this.   
  
"Fine, blame me," Sadie threw her hands into the air and walked out of the door.   
  
The group of students followed Sadie down to the Great Hall. Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table with them, looking with relief to see that Cho was sitting at the Ravenclaw table.   
  
"Hey, doesn't Cho normally sit with you?" asked Colin, standing up. "We should call her over here."  
  
"No!" Ginny said quickly, and from the looks of the people around her, a bit too loudly. She assumed an embarrassed grin. "Sorry. Just, now isn't a good time for her."  
  
Colin looked at his friend strangely, but sat back down, just as several people crowded around Ginny to congratulate her on her performance in "The Scarlet Pimpernel", and Ginny proceeded to crawl under the table.   
  
"Hide me," she whispered to Parvati, who obligingly slid over a seat so that nobody could see last night's star.  
  
Sadie leaned under the table to talk to Ginny. "Hun, you're really confusing me," she told the girl scrunched between people's legs. "Are you shy now or aren't you? You really need to make up your mind."  
  
"Of course I am you twit!" hissed Ginny. "Now get out from under the table before someone thinks there's something wrong with you!"  
  
Sadie sighed and pulled her head out from under the table, sitting up again. "Maybe somebody should pass her bacon or toast or pancakes or something."  
  
Just then, Hermione stood up from her place at the other side of the Gryffindor table and walked over to Ginny's friends. "Do you know where Ginny is?" she asked them.   
  
Lavender and Parvati both pointed to under the table.   
  
Hermione blinked. "Why?"  
  
"The moment anybody came near her, she just crawled under there and refused to come out," Dennis informed her helpfully.  
  
Hermione nodded.   
  
"Wait, that's not true," said Sadie, "she was perfectly fine around you guys."  
  
The two actors, two actresses, and techie looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. "Sadie, we don't count," Lavender told her.   
  
"Why not?" asked Sadie, but Hermione had already leaned in under the table and pulled Ginny out.  
  
"Owwww," complained Ginny. "'Mione, why'd you do that?"  
  
"Come on, you're following me," said Hermione, walked out of the Great Hall, holding Ginny by the wrist and dragging the younger girl behind her. Ginny didn't say anything until they were out in the corridors.   
  
"Hermione, what are you doing?!" she exclaimed, pulling out of the older girl's grasp as Hermione kept walking.   
  
Hermione turned around and folded her arms. "Ginny, you can't avoid a confrontation forever."  
  
"I've only tried to avoid it for about ten minutes!" argued Ginny.   
  
The Head Girl sighed, rubbed her temples, and tried again. "And you can't hide under the table every time you're not sure about what you're feeling."  
  
Ginny backed several steps away from Hermione. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Are you sure you want to talk about this where people might hear us?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Come on, we should really discuss this in private." She whirled around and quickly strode down the hallway, and Ginny reluctantly followed her, deciding that it was better than going back into the Great Hall where everybody was no doubt talking about her.   
  
"Where are we going?" asked Ginny as she was led down corridors that she hadn't even known existed. "I don't think anyone's around, Hermione."  
  
"Alright then," agreed Hermione, sitting down on the floor. "Sit. Spill."  
  
Ginny sat. "What are you talking about?" she asked cautiously, looking at Hermione's face to try and figure out exactly how much she knew. Why did that girl have to be so smart?  
  
"You leave the house party at ten fifty to meet Cho. You come back at eleven fifteen crying your eyes out and refusing to tell me what's wrong. Cho has been ogling you for weeks, and you've been blushing whenever you're around her." Hermione listed all of her points, and finally when she was finished she looked over at Ginny significantly. "This morning you hide under the table just because there are people around you, obviously meaning you're doing anything to avoid somebody. You seemed cheerful with your friends, but of course we all saw last night what a great actress you are."   
  
Ginny looked like a deer in the headlights. She just sat there for a moment, feeling trapped, then abruptly climbed to her feet. "Hermione, you're a smart girl, but maybe you need to learn what is and isn't your business."   
  
"Ginny-" Hermione stood as well, and grabbed the red headed Gryffindor girl's arm before she could bolt, as she was so famous for doing. "Why are you so upset? It's obvious you like her."   
  
"As a friend!" Ginny's voice was approaching a shout. "Friend, friend, friend. I most assuredly do not like her in, you know, that way, and it was wrong of her to kiss me like that without permission. I didn't like it, and I don't want to do it again, so do not use your psychology bullshit on me to try and convince me that I do."   
  
"Well you should have thought of that before you sent her all the signals that you like her!" replied Hermione, giving her younger Housemate a shake.   
  
Ginny went white. "I didn't."  
  
"Ginny, you did." Hermione stated firmly. "And I should have warned you earlier, I'm sorry, but everybody saw it."  
  
"Everybody?" whispered Ginny, suddenly feeling like she was sweating.   
  
"Well, everybody in the play, anyway. Some of them assumed that you were already together."  
  
"They did?" Ginny felt weak. She leaned against the wall for support.  
  
"They did. And poor Cho this morning! Not that you bothered to look over at her to see how she was after the way you treated her. She was-"  
  
"The way I treated her?" Ginny stood up again and glared at Hermione, daggers flying from her eyes. "She's the one who kissed me! How did she expect me to react?!"  
  
Hermione sighed, realizing that she had gone too far. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I shouldn't have said that to you."   
  
"Just-leave me alone." Ginny turned and stumbled away from Hermione. "I need to think about this. A lot. How can everybody have thought it?"   
  
"Honestly, Ginny, I exaggerated. It was just the play members."   
  
"That's everybody," Ginny told her, trying to sound firm but failing.   
  
"Ginny, if you need to talk..." Hermione trailed off, looking worriedly at her red-haired friend.   
  
"No, I think you've said enough," Ginny said quietly, closing her eyes so that the tears welling up in them would not spill. "You've said everything that you should have told me months ago." Ginny opened her eyes again, and looked straight into Hermione's with all the anger and confusion that had governed her life since the kiss last night. "Congratulations, Hermione."   
  
With the little pride that Ginny could still muster, she straightened, turned, and made her way down the hallway, walking slowly away from Hermione, and hopefully not into a mob of people trying to find out what had happened. 


	7. Chapter 7

Title: For Play (7/?)  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  


  
Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky)  
  
  
  


  
For the first time in a very long time, Ginny wished that it were a school day.  Then at least she would be able to go to her classes and keep her head down and not have to go places and do things and see people…  
  
She lowered her head and rushed past the Great Hall, glad that nobody was in the corridors right then.  
  
Well… almost nobody.   
  
"Ginny!" She heard a voice exclaim.  It was familiar and male, which was the only reason she looked up and paused.    
  
"Hi Terry," she said quietly, stopping for a moment.    
  
"Is everything OK?" he asked.  "You seemed pretty upset before.  So did Hermione.  What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing," Ginny said, pushing past her friend.  "Don't worry about it."  
  
"Ginny…" his voice sounded pleading.    
  
"What?" she whirled around to glare at Terry, tears beginning anew.   
  
Terry jumped, staring at Ginny.  "What—" he began to ask her, backing up a bit in fear of her sudden anger.  
  
 "You want to talk to me, is that it?" Ginny stepped towards him aggressively.  "Well, I was just through that little song and dance with Hermione.  Ask her how it went."    
  
"No…" he said.  "I don't want to talk.  I want to listen."  Both of them stood there awkwardly.  "If there's anything you want to discuss, you know.  We could go to Hogsmeade.  Or just go somewhere private, and you can talk about what's wrong."  
  
"Thanks," said Ginny, "but not thanks.  I'm just going to Gryffindor Tower."  She turned and sped away, walking as quickly as she could down the hallway and away from the sweet-as-usual Terry.  
  
"The offer stands!" he called down the hallway.    
  
Ginny paused, and then turned, striding quickly towards Terry before she lost her courage.  "Terry?" she asked.  
  
He looked surprised that she came back so soon.  "Yes?"  
  
Ginny took a deep breath, then quickly spit it out: "Did you think that I was going out with Cho?"     
  
Terry blinked, taking a closer look at Ginny.  He saw how red and puffy her eyes were and guessed that she'd been crying for a while.  He hedged, not sure what the right answer was.  "Well, you know, there was that rumor of course… but I didn't assume anything since I was with you a lot and you never mentioned it."  
  
It was, apparently, the wrong thing to say.  "Rumor? What rumor? There was a _rumor_? Between who? Who did you hear it from?  When--"   
  
 "Hey, hey, calm down there!" Terry cut off his hysterical friend.    
  
"Calm _down_? Calm DOWN?"  Ginny's voice was becoming both shriller and louder, not a good combination.  Clearly, she was not about to follow Terry's very good advice.    
  
"Ginny, if you don't quiet down people will hear you."  He thought fast.  This might in fact be one of the best times to get her to open up.  "Come on."  He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the hallway until they came to an old classroom.  He pulled her inside and turned to the door, pulling out his wand.  "Silencium," he said, and a light flashed.  Nobody would be able to hear them.    
  
Terry turned back to Ginny.  "Are you _sure_ that you don't want to talk about it?" he asked.    
  
"Yes, I'm sure," snapped Ginny.    
  
"Alright then," said Terry.  "You can leave." He stepped aside so that she could open the door.  
  
"It's just that it seems like everybody's on _her _side!" Ginny kicked the wall in frustration.  "It's like _I'm_ the one who's wrong and I'm just hurting her and being _stubborn_.  Me!"   
  
Terry didn't quite know what Ginny was talking about, but he did his best to comfort her.  "I'm sure that not what anybody really means…"   
  
"Well it's what she _said_, isn't it?  Hermione thinks she's so fucking smart.  Yeah, you're hurting poor Cho, Ginny! She had every right to just grab you and kiss you without asking and of course that's a perfectly _normal_ thing for friends to do, yeah, of course, and now here you are, just like her, trying to be the concerned friend and I bet you'll just tell me the exact same thing!"    
  
"Ginny…" Terry took a step towards her and moved to hug her.    
  
Ginny hit him.  "Don't touch me!" she said.  "Don't you dare."  Ginny knew that she would not normally be this harsh towards kind, understanding Terry, but she had already been pushed far past anger and into an insane rage.   
  
"I just want to understand," he told her.  "Why are you so upset?  I mean, yes, I _know_ it's unconventional and everything, but you didn't react anywhere near this way when Neville kissed you. Why are you taking it so hard?"    
  
"Everybody's a psychology major these days, aren't they?" Ginny spat.  She pushed by Terry and made her way to the door.  "I'd tell you not to tell anybody—but obviously everybody already has a COMPLETELY screwed up belief about my personal life anyway, so who cares if a true one is thrown into the mix?"  With that, she slammed the door behind her, so hard that it practically fell off its hinges.  
  
Terry stood there, watching the door.  He sat in one of the dust-covered seats and sighed.  "Well, at least she got it out," he mused to himself.  "Who knew that sweet Ginny Weasley had such a _nasty_ temper?"  He paused for another moment.  "Isn't talking to yourself a sign of insanity?"    
  
Then again… this time he just thought it… it was much less insane than falling for a girl who was just about to realize that she was a lesbian.       
  
  
****  
  
Ginny threw herself onto her bed, just as she had the night before.  Why did she even bother getting out of bed this morning?  Everybody just wanted to blame her and take sides with Cho.  It just wasn't _fair_.    
  
The red haired girl just lay there for a long time, hoping that nobody would come into the room.  It was frustrating in a way.  The day was getting worse and worse: first with Hermione blaming her for upsetting Cho and telling Ginny that everybody thought the two were already dating, and then with Terry trying to be the concerned friend and essentially doing the same thing as Hermione.  She was getting madder and madder, her temper even worse, and Ginny just wanted to scream and hit somebody right now.   
  
Unfortunately, she was still just lying here on her bed.  
  
She started with wallowing in her own self-pity, but her annoying brain would keep going over what both Hermione and Terry said.  Were those two in league or something?  Out to make her miserable and play some sort of creepy mind trick on her?  Ginny wouldn't be surprised.    
  
But there was truth to what Terry had said.  Or at least he had screwed with her brain enough to make her thing it was truth.  Ginny was reacting much more strongly to this kiss than she had to any other.  
  
_Well of course!_ She told herself.  _Cho is a _girl_._    
  
_But that never bothered you before,_ her annoying brain-voice insisted.  _Everybody knows that Padma had a girlfriend over the summer, and you never thought less of her_.   
  
_It still wasn't_ me _doing it._    
  
_Still,_ the voice insisted.    
  
Ginny wasn't hearing a voice in her head per say, she was just having a very strong internal argument.  She had to admit that something was strange about why this was tearing her up so much.  
  
Ginny sat up suddenly as she heard two voices whispering outside the room.  The first one was Hermione's, which was enough to make Ginny wince.  
  
"Please, I really think she needs some time alone right now," the voice was saying.   
  
The voice that responded didn't just make Ginny wince; it made her freeze in terror.    
  
"I need to talk to her!" Cho argued.  "She's really taking this hard, maybe if I can just make her understand, if I apologize… Terry wouldn't say much but he did say that she was really upset when she spoke to him."  
  
"That's _why_ you shouldn't talk to her now," Hermione insisted.  "She's still too upset to be rational about this."    
  
_I'm rational, _thought Ginny stubbornly.  She was just sitting there, hoping that Cho would go away but also strangely angry at Hermione.    
  
"I think I can make her see reason.  I have to try," Cho's voice sounded pleading now.     
  
"Fine.  But don't say I didn't warn you."    
  
Ginny watched, frozen in her place, as the door opened and Cho slowly stepped into the room.    
  
  
  
  
A/N: PLEASE review.  Thanks. 


	8. Chapter 8

Title: For Play (8/?)  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  


  
Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky)  
  
  
  
  
Cho always walked with a light grace.  It was one of the things that had fascinated Ginny while they were working on the play.  She could walk without making a sound, looking sleek as a leopard or a panther or some other large, graceful cat.  Still, it seemed to Ginny that the tap of the older girl's shoes against the ground were as loud as thunder.    
  
Or was that Ginny's heartbeat?   
  
"H…hi, Ch-ch-cho," she stuttered, turning red and pressing back against the wall, trying make herself tiny.  
  
"Ginny," said Cho quietly, walking over to Ginny's bed, making the red head slink down under the covers in her attempt to hide. Regardless, Cho sat on the bed, and even pulled back the covers to look at Ginny.  "Look, I'm sorry, alright?  I wasn't thinking.  I shouldn't have done that."  
  
Ginny wanted to say, _No, you're right, you shouldn't have.  _She wanted to say, _Just go away and leave me alone_.  She wanted to yell at the top of her lungs.  No matter what she wanted, though, all she could do was lie there, wide-eyed, staring at Cho.  Her lips were small and red and even they moved with grace when Cho talked.  She remembered what it was like to feel those lips against hers…  
  
_Ginny!_  The girl yelled at herself.  _What are you doing?_   
  
"Ginny?" asked Cho quietly, eyes searching the girl's face.    
  
Ginny blushed, feeling Cho's eyes on her, wondering if the Asian girl could see what she was thinking.  Gods, she hoped not.  "Yes?" she whispered.  
  
"I just…I'm so sorry for hurting you, it was never my intention."    
  
Ginny didn't know what to say.  She shivered, and felt goose bumps rise up all over her body.  She didn't want to yell at Cho anymore.  She didn't know what she wanted.  So she just stayed there, not moving, buried in her covers.  She closed her eyes.  
  
Cho must have taken this as a sign that Ginny didn't want her around, because suddenly Cho's warmth was gone from beside Ginny.  To Ginny's surprise, she missed it, and suddenly wished that Cho were still there.    
  
"Don't go," she murmured, before she even realized she was saying anything. She opened her eyes, not believing what she'd said, looking to see if Cho had heard.    
  
She had.  The look on Cho's face was one of hope, and the older girl smiled slowly and sat back down on the bed, hesitantly reaching out her hand to stroke Ginny's hair.  Ginny made no move to stop her.  
  
Instead, the red haired Gryffindor just sort of opened her mouth and let loose all that she was thinking.  "Oh, Cho, I don't know what's going on.  It felt like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and I didn't know what to think Cho, I had no idea what to think.  I just wanted to sort everything out for myself, and then there was Hermione getting all _angry_ at me over it, and that just made it _worse_, because…oh, I don't know.  I never thought it would happen to me, and I didn't think kissing felt so good…"  
  
"Shhh, shh, it's alright," whispered Cho, smiling now at what she'd heard, moving her hand down to stroke Ginny's face.  "It's alright, I promise."  
  
Cho had a million questions, but they could wait.  They stayed there for a while, Ginny gasping at air to stop crying, and Cho stroking her face and hair.  Eventually, after Ginny was quiet for a while, the Gryffindor girl spoke.  
  
"So…" Ginny said, fidgeting a bit, "what does this mean?"  
  
Cho idly took one of Ginny's hands and held it, looking into her chocolate-y brown eyes.  They looked sweet an honest, exactly like Ginny really was.  "It means whatever you want it to mean, Ginny.  Friendship, or…more…whatever you're ready for.  Whatever you want."  
  
"I think…" said Ginny quietly, sitting up and looked at Cho's black eyes.  "Well, can we go slowly?"  
  
Cho's face split into the biggest grin.  It was sort of goofy, the wide, ecstatic grin on the girl who usually looked so serious.  Ginny thought that it was absolutely beautiful.  "Of course we can, Ginny.  Of course we can."    
  
Ginny cautiously leaned in and kissed Cho's lips briefly, pulling back immediately and giving a hesitant little smile.    
  
Cho smiled and kissed Ginny's cheek.  "We can go as slowly as you like, Gin.  No need to rush things."  
  
"Well…" said Ginny, rather slyly truth to tell, "maybe not _that_ slowly."   
  
Cho laughed, still with the goofy smile.  After a moment she spoke.  "Oh, Ginny, with all the…excitement," her eyes twinkled, "I forgot to tell you.  Dumbledore said that the cast could go to a West End performance as long as it's at the Wizarding West End.  He and McGonagall will take us, probably next weekend sometime.  We're seeing 'Alas! I've Transfigured My Feet!'"  
  
Ginny perked up—not that she was down at this moment, mind you, but she was the sort that when she was excited you could almost _see_ her ears pricking up.  "Oh, that's great! I heard it's very funny, but I haven't seen it—you can't vusher at the Wizarding West End, so I don't get to see any of their plays."  
  
Cho's brow furrowed, confused by the new word. "Vusher?"  
  
"Come on, you know that my family has no money," said Ginny, leaning back against the wall as she spoke, looking a bit ashamed.  "There's no way I could afford tickets to all those sorts of plays.  So, I vusher.  You sign up on a certain day—it's different for different theatres.  Then you come and help the ushers for a day, and in return you see the plays for free.  It's great fun."  
  
"Really? I haven't tried that.  It's not too hard, the ushering?"   
  
Ginny grinned.  "Only when you're vushering for Cabaret.  They tend to like to make it seem like a cabaret, so you don't pass out the programmes until the end, and you have to pass them out _really_ fast because they're all rushing out at you.  But other than that, no, not really."   
  
Cho nodded, and they were quiet for a moment.  A loud rumble from Ginny's stomach broke the silence. .  
  
Cho looked at Ginny, and Ginny blushed.  "Um, I guess with everything that happened, I forgot to eat breakfast?" she offered sheepishly.  
  
Laughing, Cho stood and held out a hand to Ginny.  "Well, let's go eat something, then.  I think breakfast's over, so we can beg something from the house elves."  
  
The absolutely adorable younger girl stood up with a huge smile.  "Chocolate?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Cho grinned, then her eyes got wide and she looked at her watch.  "Yes, but we'll have to hurry and take it with us! I forgot about striking the set—it's already 10! We're late!"  
  
"Uhoh.  C'mon."  Ginny grabbed Cho's hand and they raced down the stairs.    
  
  
****  
  
When Ginny and Cho finally made it to the set, they were twenty minutes late, out of breath, and Ginny's mouth was lined with chocolate icing from the cake.   
  
Everybody turned to look at them.  They were surprised that the director and the star were late, but then again, as many of them had heard from Terry some of the difficulties, they understood.  As only the cast and techies were there, Ginny just waved to everyone and occupied herself with licking the chocolate off her fingers.   
  
"Sorry everybody," said Cho sheepishly, taking out her wand to take off the colour charms off of the back curtain.  "We had…things to deal with." She hoped they'd leave it at that.  
  
They didn't.  Terry was the first one to speak.  "Well, it looks like the two of you are on speaking terms again… which is amazing progress from an hour ago when I spoke to Ginny.  What happened?"  
  
Ginny shrugged sheepishly.  "I came to my senses, I guess."   
  
"So, the two of you are dating now?" asked Padma, looking up from a difficult charm to turn the huge backdrop into something much smaller and manageable.    
  
Ginny blushed a very deep red and looked down, kicking at the ground with her foot.  "Um…sort of?  Um, Cho, did you ever even break up with Harry?"  
  
Cho's eyes got wide, and her hand flew to her mouth.  (Unfortunately, it was her wand hand.  Blaise Zabini's hair turned a rather unfortunate colour of green that had been on the back curtain a few moments earlier.)  "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.  "No, I totally forgot about him…I should talk to him."  
  
Hermione looked up in slight annoyance, as she took out her wand and charmed Blaise's hair back to the normal dull-brown it had been a few moments ago.  After that she smiled.  "Well, much as I feel bad for my best friend, I'm very happy that the two of you finally got together.  Congratulations, both of you.  Do you want to go talk to Harry now?"  
  
Cho smiled.  "Thanks Hermione…but no, I'll finish striking the set.  Gin, hun, want to help me with these colours?  We have to do each one individually and it's rather tedious to do alone."  
  
Ginny nodded.  "Sure," she said, taking out her wand and beginning on the brown on the bottom left corner.   
  
"Oh, Gin?" said Cho.  "You still have some chocolate, at the corner of your mouth."   
  
Ginny cocked her head to the side and considered her options.  She gathered up her courage.  She really wasn't sure of this at all, but it was starting to feel right.  She should get used to it.  Finally, with a rather wicked grin, she said, "Well, go ahead and lick it off, then."  
  
Yes, decided both Ginny and Cho, life had definitely improved quite a bit in…was it really just an hour?   
  
  
  
  
A/N:  Ahh, finally it's out.  Sorry, things have been hectic.  I hope this wasn't resolved too quickly; I mean, for the past two chapters Ginny has been upset but being with Cho obviously made her remember what she liked. J Sorry—I needed some fluff, my girlfriend dumped me ***sniffles sadly***  


	9. Epilogue

Title: For Play, Epilogue  
  
Author: Anisky   
  
Disclaimer: You recognize it? I don't own it.  
  
Summary: A common interest brings Cho and Ginny together into a great friendship.... But that's all they are, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Harry.  
  


  
Archiving: Just ask! HoneyB87@aol.com (Anisky)  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry sat there on the Hogwarts Express, tuning out of the conversation (read, argument) between his two best friends.  He always hated going back to the Dursley's house, and even though this was the last summer he'd _ever_ have to spend with them, he was still more glum that usual.  
  
It had been two months, and Harry was over her—really, he was.  Alright, not so much, but he'd accepted that Cho was no longer his girlfriend.  He'd even accepted the fact that she was now dating Ginny Weasley.  
  
That didn't mean he had to like it.  
  
Harry abruptly stood up, causing Hermione and Ron to ask where he was going.  Harry ignored them, and strode out of the compartment, going on to the next one where he knew Cho and Ginny were sitting.  He didn't know why, he just felt a need to see Cho again before he went to the Dursley's.  Maybe…  
  
Harry paused before opening the door, hearing Cho's sweet voice drifting over to him.  
  
"Hey, come on Gin-gin, it'll be okay," she was saying.  
  
"But you'll be off somewhere with your job and I'll be here and we'll never get to _see _each other!" Ginny replied.  
  
Harry imagined the two of them in there.  They would be cuddling, he knew.  Cho was probably stroking Ginny's hair and Ginny was probably cuddling into the older girl's side.  Harry turned red just thinking about it.  Cho had never been that affectionate with _him_.   
  
"Aww, Ginny, don't worry.  We can visit each other this summer, and next summer too.  And I can apparate over for Christmas and Easter holidays.  It'll be ok."   
  
Harry could hear Ginny sniffle a little, but he knew well enough that she probably had a smile on her face.  It was the same goofy smile that he'd always had whenever he'd been out with Cho.  Except that in his case, Cho had never returned it.  Not as she did for Ginny.   
  
"Promise?" Ginny was asking.  
  
"I promise," Cho assured her.   
  
Harry, feeling a bit guilty for eavesdropping, was about to enter the compartment, but then he heard Ginny's voice again.  
  
"I feel bad for Harry," she was saying.  "I think it really hurt him."   
  
_Damn right it did,_ thought Harry indignantly, but sort of glad that she was admitting it.  
  
"Yes," agreed Cho, "but it wouldn't have worked anyway.  I told you about much I dreaded kissing him and stuff.  I just don't like guys…better I found out sooner rather than later."  
  
Harry smarted at that, turning red again and crossing his arms, barely listening as Ginny spoke.  
  
"It's so strange.  I never expected something like this…but it feels so right."  
  
"I know," said Cho.  "I feel the same way.  I love you so much."  
  
"I love you too," said Ginny.  Then she laughed.  "You know…it's funny.  Ever since you and Harry started dating, all I'd wanted was to have him.  To steal Harry away from the girl.  I must have gotten confused; I stole the girl away from Harry!"  
  
"Mmm," replied Cho, sounding very happy indeed, "but I was a conspirator to the crime."   
  
Harry recognized the noises that came from the compartment next.  The two girls were kissing.  Looking even more downtrodden than when he'd gotten there, Harry turned around and walked slowly back to sit next to Ron and Hermione.  There was nothing for him to stay to Cho.  She'd never really liked him; she'd only been fooling herself.  
  
He sat back down.  Ron was about to speak, but Hermione shushed him with a look of understanding.  She turned to Harry and spoke quietly.  
  
"Harry, she's happy.  She's very happy."  
  
Harry closed his eyes.  "I know."  It was true, anybody could see it, the way the two girls fit together, the way they complemented each other, the way they made each other look so joyful.   _I love her,_ thought Harry.  _I love her, and I am just glad that she's so happy.  That's all I need._   
  
It was true.  But dammit…that didn't make it hurt any less.  
  
  
*****  
  
Just a single compartment away, the plight of Harry was no longer on the minds of two very specific girls.  
  
In fact, as they were in the middle of the same kiss as the one Harry heard beginning, their minds were really focused on just one thing alone…each other.    
  
  
  
Fin  
  
  
  
A/N: Well, it's finished.  Wide open for a sequel, but finished.  I hope you enjoyed it!! 


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